


If Only I Could

by nymelodica



Category: Dreamwastaken, GeorgeNotFound - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), dreamnotfound - Fandom, dreamteam - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkwardness, Crushes, Curses, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Feelings Realization, Good Friend Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Magic, Mount Olympus (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Mutual Pining, No beta we fall like L'manberg, Pining, Strangers to Lovers, dream and george are so awkward, dream as medusa, dream has to wear a mask, dreamnotfound, medusa!dream, or else everyone turns to stone, poseidon sucks, this is my first ao3 post idk how to use tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:09:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27004852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nymelodica/pseuds/nymelodica
Summary: Beauty attracts danger. And Dream is oh so beautiful.When Dream attracts unwanted attention from the earth-shaking god Poseidon, Athena gifts him the power to petrify any creature with just a glance. Just the sight of his red eyes turns living things to stone. She promises him that he will never be hurt again, but Dream is more worried about hurting his friends.In order to protect his loved ones, Athena gives him a mask. It was the only way to hide his eyes from the world when he needed to. He would never show his face again, not even to his closest companions. No one had seen his face for many years....That is, until he meets George, a boy who cannot see the color red.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), dreamnotfound - Relationship
Comments: 211
Kudos: 1037





	1. A Crimson Gaze

**Author's Note:**

> uhhh hi! this is my first ever ao3 fic so i'm lowkey really nervous. i've been an avid user of this site for roughly three years on a few accounts, so you'd think i'd know what i'm doing... not really lol.
> 
> for those of you who know the story of medusa, you will know i need to leave a r*pe warning. i tried my best to only imply it in the story, and there is nothing graphic at all and it does not tie to the main pair. but still, let me know if i need to do anything better!!
> 
> i really hope you enjoy :)

Beauty in Greece was a beckoning for evil. Eons ago, above the walking, waking mortals, existed the great Mount Olympus, home to gods and goddesses. One would expect the gods to live separate lives from their lesser counterparts, yet the gods meddled in human lives as if they were toys. The gods viewed mortals as playthings; causers of amusement and items to marvel upon.

Among those that were admired by the gods was a human boy named Dream, with beauty unmatched all across the land. A beauty that drew interest from suitors near and far, both human and monster alike.

Dream was a tall boy, built like that of a sturdy warrior. His eyes were green like summer trees and grass, speckled with sunlight. But it was his laugh and his mannerisms that made him so beautiful. Not only was he beautiful to look at, Dream had a beautiful soul as well.

Word of his godlike beauty drew attention from the gods. One, in particular, was the silver-eyed Athena, goddess of war and wisdom. Dream had no romantic love for any mortal but greatly admired the goddess, fascinated by both of her greatest symbols. He not only strove to learn more about battle and weaponry but also sought knowledge and enlightenment. His passions gained Athena’s favor, and she watched him from above.

But all gods knew that favoring humans led to bad things, as Athena was not the only god with an eye on the beautiful mortal. Dream’s beauty attracted notice from the earth-shaking god Poseidon, who found Dream’s beauty captivating. Like many others, Poseidon desired the mortal as his next piece of entertainment. Poseidon wanted to be the first to have what so many desired. But what differed him from the others was his position in Olympus as one of the big three gods. He could have whatever he wanted.

And he wanted Dream.

News of this traveled Olympus as gossip, and Athena grew furious when it reached her. “He will do no such thing,” she snarled, but her anger was just another motivation for Poseidon to show his power and capabilities. To him, it was a challenge, to test his strength.

Dream knew it was Poseidon when the god had approached him at the Temple of Athena. He could hear the wind around Poseidon and it sounded like the echo of a shell pressed against one’s ear. Poseidon was the embodiment of the sea, with a smile like pearls and eyes like the greenest lagoon. Anyone would know it was Poseidon. And as mortals do, Dream fell for the god’s charming words and breezy laughter.

But like most mortals, Dream didn’t know Poseidon’s intentions. And by the time Poseidon was finished with Dream, Athena had been too late. She rushed to the side of the mortal boy, laying silent on his side on the steps of the temple in the dark of night. Perhaps he had been crying alone. But for who knows how long? No one else was around. “He...he hurt me,” the boy whispered to the goddess, and his voice sounded as if he had been screaming for hours.

“My child,” Athena called, sinking to her knees beside Dream. “My beautiful, wonderful child. I am so sorry. It was my admiration for you that alerted Poseidon.” She pressed a hand to his face, eyes reflecting the pain in his expression. “You did not deserve this. I promise you, you will never be hurt again.”

The silver-eyed Athena clasped the mortal boy against her bosom like a mother would her beloved child, arms draped tightly around his shoulders. “I will give you a blessing to keep away those who have ill meanings,” the goddess said, pressing her palm over his eyes. “I will give you eyes that will turn any life to stone. If any creature who roams this land ever meets your crimson gaze, they will forever exist on this earth as stone.”

He was silent for a moment but stirred at the offer. Dream blinked hard, his eyes tearing up at the jolt of pain behind his eyes. “But what about those that I love? My friends. I want to see them again. I could not live without seeing my friends.”

“I gave you a gift, my boy. What more could you ask of a goddess?”

“A way to protect those that I do not intend to hurt,” Dream begged. “Please, it is all I ask of you.”

Athena rose to her full height, tall and sure. “You have been a good mortal, Dream, one unlike so many I have encountered. But you are peculiar as well. I have given you the ability to start and end wars and enough power to overthrow a kingdom...yet you ask to see your friends? I wonder if you are truly a good soul, or perhaps just naive.” She gazed at the moon, lost in thought. When her gaze drifted back, he could see the way her silver eyes flashed from the corner of his eyes. “Either way, I grant your request.”

In Dream’s hands appeared a disk of ivory. A mask, he gathered, judging by the smile carved into the white material. “Only when you wear this mask will the ones you love be safe. But even a glance of your reflection upon a lake could turn them into a statue where they stand.”

The goddess motioned to the temple that loomed above them. “If you ever are in need of a place to reside, my temple will be your sanctuary. And if Poseidon ever shows his face on these steps ever again…” she looked down, careful to avoid Dream’s new eyes. “I will wage war on Olympus and stain the palace grounds with blood and gold.” She embraced him one last time with a fondness he had never read in any book. “I’ll watch over you, my dear.”

And as if she had never been there at all, she was gone.


	2. Market Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg i promised to have this chapter out way sooner but school is seriously kicking my ass. i tried my best with this chapter!!! it's hard to write dialogue that captures characters but also being in a more... old english-esque way. i hope you enjoy it anyways!
> 
> also, to those who dmed me on instagram saying they came from this fic... my heart EXPLODED

A year had passed since he encountered the goddess. At first, the adjustment period was difficult and uncomfortable. _Why did the mortal beauty hide his face?_ people would ask behind his back. The gossip and rumors became white noise in Dream’s everyday life. Dream heard their words, the lies and stories they spun. At first, he was angry. His blood simmered and he wanted to yell at them, curse at them for making such wild accusations. But they were never worth his time, and no matter how wrong they were, they didn't deserve to know the truth.

_I heard he hides his face because he fears attention._

_I heard he found a lover and she wishes to be the only one to see his face._

_I heard Aphrodite was so envious of his beauty that she cursed him._

He didn’t care so much anymore.

Last year, on the day he returned home, Sapnap had been waiting anxiously in the room. Of all things Dream may come to forget as life progresses, one thing he will never forget was the way his friend’s eyes widened with fear at the sight of his jarring mask. His mind would never forget the way Sapnap, who was always so jovial and loud, drew back in dead silence. For someone who had known him longer than anyone, Sapnap stared at him as if he were a stranger.

_“Dream,” the other boy said carefully, lacking the reckless manner that so often characterized the way his friend interacted with him. “Where were you all of yesterday?” He glossed over the one item that they were both painfully aware of. The mask sat on his face like a slab of lead. It had never felt so heavy before. Dream licked his lips and opened his mouth b_ _ut he didn’t have anything to say. He took two steps forward and fell into his friend’s embrace. Sapnap blinked confusedly, hugging his friend tightly. “Are you okay?”_

_“I can kill you,” Dream recalled himself saying with stuttered breaths._

_“Yeah, right,” Sapnap had said, but Dream didn't miss the nervous laughter that came from his friend. “As if you could kill me.”_

_“Athena came to me yesterday,” Dream interrupted, pulling away. He looked hesitantly at his friend to gauge his reaction. Confusion flickered on Sapnap’s face. “Poseidon courted me at Athena’s Temple...and things got too far.”_

_His friend reached to touch the mask, flinching as Dream recoiled from the touch. “What do you mean? Does it have something to do with your mask?”_

_Dream nodded hesitantly. “Poseidon...he’s just like everyone who has come here. He was just a suitor but I thought he was different. He seemed so sincere. But he wasn’t. He was too strong...I couldn’t stop him.”_

_He didn’t need to say it. Sapnap had already understood. “And Athena gave you a mask to what? Hide your identity from Poseidon? He is one of the big three Olympians. No mask could keep him away if he wanted to find you. And how can a mask kill me?”_

_“You don’t understand. Athena gave me a gift. She came to protect me. She promised me that no one would ever hurt me again. So she gave me these...these powers. If anyone ever sees my eyes from now on, they’ll turn to stone.”_

_Sapnap looked up, peering into the eyeholes of Dream’s mask, defiant and dangerous. “Are you okay?” He questioned, doubt laced in his voice. “I believe you, Dream. But even that is too much.”_

_“I’m serious, Sapnap. The only way to protect the people I love is by wearing this.”_

_His friend stood in silence for a moment, studying Dream as if he were deciding whether to believe him or not. He nods. “I’m sorry. That I couldn’t be there. Now you have to wear that for the rest of your life.” He paused, looking wryly at his friend._

_“At least you won’t have demons falling to their knees at the glance of your pretty face.” Dream couldn’t help but laugh a bit, feeling the weight from his shoulder start to dissipate._

_Sapnap chuckled, breaking into a small smile. “Dream, I can’t believe you said that though.”_

_“Said what?”_

_“You love me,” he crooned, stretching the words out. Dream laughed harder._

Life got easier with every passing day. The first couple of months had been odd, as Dream mostly stayed indoors and away from human society, both scared and ashamed of himself. There were nights he couldn’t sleep without an eye open, so on those often occasions, Sapnap would take the blankets from his own room and stay to keep Dream company. He always felt safer with his friend nearby.

After the first few months, Sapnap’s overnight stays grew less frequent. Dream’s nightmares slowly went away, and he didn’t have to think twice about going to sleep with his back to the room.

People stopped talking on the streets as they accepted that Dream’s mask wasn’t just a publicity stunt, but rather an extension of him. They never knew why he wore it, but they didn’t ask either. And perhaps the best thing to come out of it all was that the suitors stopped coming. He remembered the days when he and Sapnap would be rudely awakened at the crack of dawn to the calls of men and women, claiming that they were Dream’s true love.

_“Why don’t you just tell them to stop,” Sapnap snickered, laying on the couch as Dream entered the room, slamming the door on a particularly keen woman. She had to be a decade older than him, and she claimed that the Oracle had sent her._

_“I’m not rude, it’s not their fault that they think they love me.”_

_“You’re right. You look like a child of Aphrodite, Dream, of course everyone would come in droves. You are the closest thing to a god that they’ll ever meet.” He flicked a peach pit at the older boy. “I’m just glad they only go for you.”_

_Dream rolled his eyes. “Ha ha, very amusing, I never asked to look this way.”_

_Sapnap sat up, patting his friend’s shoulder. “I know Dream. You should be kinder to the poor, you know? Like me. Donate some beauty to those in need,” he joked, putting a grin onto Dream’s face._

_“Shut up, Aphrodite wishes her kids could look like you.”_

“Hey, Dream?” Sapnap called, snapping Dream out of his thoughts of the past. “If you’re not doing anything right now, could you stop by the market and pick up some more bread? I was going to make stew for dinner but we don’t have any bread for dipping.”

Life had changed so much and so fast. It felt like just yesterday that he had come home by himself, flinching at every movement he noticed out of the corner of his eyes. The road home had seemed to last a million years. As he headed towards the village market, he couldn’t help but notice the commotion around him. People bustled around busily, buying food for the evening. The sun was low in the sky, preparing for its slumber in a bed of clouds. Sooner or later, Helios would lead the sun beneath the horizon.

In the weeks after the incident, Dream hardly ever left his room. Sapnap would bring him meals and stay with him, talking to distract him from thoughts that pried desperately to resurface. Sapnap would go fishing later on in the day, taking his catches to be sold fresh at the market around dinnertime. So Dream was always alone during the sunsets. He had learned to love sunsets even more, as it was the only thing that comforted him when Sapnap wasn’t home.

The sky that evening was a vivid orange-purple. It washed over the faces of the village people around him and he couldn’t help but admire it as if it was a scene from a painting. One benefit that came with wearing a mask is that he could observe everyday life without appearing like a plotting murderer. He recognized everyone now, and even knew their mannerisms. Even though he personally knew very few people from the village, it felt as if he had seen into their lives.

Dream bought two loaves of bread, tucking them into his basket. The sky’s colors were starting to desaturate, the vivid purples now tinged with ashen grey hues. He was so captivated by the beauty of the setting sun that he didn’t notice when he walked directly into another person. The person yelped loudly, shoving Dream off of him. Maybe he didn’t know everyone after all, he blanches, staring at the boy in front of him.

“You just made me drop my dinner.” 

Dream continued staring, wondering why he didn’t recognize the boy. He had an odd lilt to his voice, one that definitely was not from the area.

“Why are you just standing there looking at me? Do I have something on my face?”

The taller boy felt his face grow warm from embarrassment. Thank the goddess Athena for this mask, he thought. “I’m sorry, I got distracted and didn’t see you there.” He picked up the bread and the fish, but they were definitely unsanitary now. He set them down again and hoped a cat would come by. “I can repay you, if you’d like.”

“Maybe you would have seen me if you weren’t wearing a mask.” It was blunt, said with an almost mocking air.

Dream recoiled in offense. “Hey, I just said I would pay you back. Don’t make me regret that.”

The other crossed his arms and frowned. “I don’t take back what I said. You are literally wearing a mask on purpose, it’s no wonder you walk around like a two-legged mule.”

Dream stared even harder at the boy. _What is his problem?_

“Excuse me? I’ll have you know I wear this mask for your protection.”

“I didn’t know I was so special,” the boy responded dryly, a hint of amusement laced in his voice. “What are you protecting me from, huh? Are you really so ugly that the sight of your face seeps _terror into those who gaze upon it?_ ” He faked an exaggerated fearful expression and laughed, to which Dream scoffed.

“You’re very annoying,” Dream stated with a shake of his head. “I have to go home.”

As Dream turned to take the path home, the boy followed behind him, loudly complaining. “You still have to pay me back, you jerk. Do you do this to every person you meet? Trash their dinner and call them annoying?” It was like having a dog nip at his ankles, trailing right behind.

Dream turned around and pressed a couple silver coins into the boy’s hand, more than enough to get two loaves of bread. “Here, just go get your food. I have to go home. It’s really dark out.”

The boy remained unmoving. “They already closed the fish vendor. You still owe me fish.”

Exasperatedly, Dream let out a sigh. Why was the boy so pressing? “Fine. Alright, fine. If you meet me here tomorrow, I can take you fishing and I will get you some fish. Free of charge.” He didn't know if he would actually be a man of his word. Most likely, he would've just stayed home to sleep. 

“So you can stand me up? Are you so absolutely daft that you think I would believe a person who wears a mask that they claim can protect others? You can take me fishing now or you can make me dinner.”

Dream narrowed his eyes at the odd boy. For someone much shorter and skinnier than himself, the boy radiated a surprising amount of intimidation. It made him crack a small smile against his own will. “I promise I will take you fishing tomorrow. I swear on Athena, my guardian, that I won’t leave you standing here.”

The boy took it into consideration for a moment, before frowning, shaking his head. “No can do. Look at the sky. It’s pitch black. I would have taken your offer and gone home, but I don’t even know my way home since you’ve wasted my time and it's dark out. So you will be a good host and cook me dinner. Fair is fair.”

“How do you not know your way home? The village is rather small.”

With the way the boy looked at Dream, he might as well have said the least intelligent thing in the universe. “I just came here from a nearby town. I didn’t even know where the market was until my third day in the village. So forgive me, your highness, if I don’t completely know a town I’ve been in for a week.”

He didn’t have a counter-argument, and he wasn’t sure if a counter-argument would even be considered wise. Most likely, the boy would have won the argument yet again. So he grudgingly agreed. “Alright. I will be a good host and you can stay as a guest. But you are still very annoying.”

“I am not,” the other replied indignantly as the pair headed down the path back to Dream and Sapnap’s home. As they walked, a tense silence settled between them. “Can I see what’s under your mask?”

“No.”

The stars above twinkled and laughed to the moon as they watched the two walk down the winding road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> umm this is so random but i am so happy that dream is a figure in my life because he has brought me so much comfort and happiness. shout out to dream being the biggest comfort streamer <3
> 
> uhh yea!! i hope you liked this chapter :) things get more exciting soon!! gotta have that buildup though


	3. His Name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR DISAPPEARING FOR TWO WEEKS AHHH I GOT SO CAUGHT UP WITH SO MUCH STUFF, LIFE HAS BEEN SO BUSY!! i had a small mock hoco with a couple friends, i'm in the midst of moving into a new house (i just built my bed today!!), my grades are an absolute nightmare... i rarely have time to ever write. i usually jot stuff down in my notes app while i'm in class because i don't have any other time to do anything. i'm writing another chapter right now so HOPEFULLY i'll knock another one out like very soon after. like two hours after. 
> 
> this chapter is just another buildup chapter! i have a lottt planned and the next chapter is going to get into way more dnf interactions :) i hope u guys like it!! please comment and tell me if you like it bc u guys are my only motivation for writing hhfhfhhf

“I’ve never been on this side of town before.”

The sky was brimming with stars. Dream glanced over to the boy and let his eyes stay for a bit. His face was annoying. Something about him just made Dream feel weird. He shook it off, blaming it on the bad first impression. “Where is your place?”

The boy tilted his head to the road behind them. “A few ways back there, behind the hill on the way to the market. I haven’t lived there for long so it hasn’t grown on me yet, but it’s alright.”

“Why did you come here?”

There was a scoff. “Are we having an interview?” he laughed. “I moved here to start a new life. It’s difficult moving from place to place as most people would stay put. But I needed to get away from my family for a bit. So I came here because it was still close enough in case they needed me, but too far for them to go searching.”

Dream nodded silently. He wondered how the boy could possibly have a bad relationship with anyone. He seemed awfully chipper and though he definitely had an attitude problem, most boys their age did.

“Alright, my turn. What’s the mask really for?”

They both stopped in their trails, right outside of Dream’s house. The boy had leveled a curious and expectant look on Dream. “Well? I remember what you said earlier, but I don’t believe you.”

Dream opened the door and waved dismissively. “It’s not that important.”

“It only took you three thousand centuries,” Sapnap groaned from the kitchen. His eyes widened slightly as the other boy stepped into the house, darting over to meet Dream’s confusedly. “So while I was waiting for dinner, you were out making friends?” Sapnap grinned, staring at Dream’s new companion. “About time Dream got a new friend, he’s been cooped up here like a terrified rabbit for the past year.”

The boy raised his eyebrows, glancing at Dream. “You were hiding in your house because you were scared of making friends?” Dream pretended not to notice the smile itching at the corner of the boy’s mouth. Pretended it didn't make his skin crawl.

“That’s not the full story.” Dream cleared his throat. “I accidentally knocked over his food so I invited him to come over to repay him. That’s it.” A tension settled among them. “I’ll go prepare dinner. As for the two of you...I don’t know.” He left before he could say something potentially embarrassing.

Dream could hear the boys talking while he heated water for the stew. Something about it made him uncomfortable. He could feel himself getting irritated like it was a mosquito humming in his ear.

He didn’t even notice how much it bothered him until he realized his hand was still on the pot of boiling water and pain flared up his fingers.

Dinner was quieter than it usually was. Whenever Dream and Sapnap had dinner, it was full of laughter and ruckus. That evening, however, the house met an unfamiliar peace. A rigid silence sat in the air like an overbearing thundercloud.

As Dream blew out the candles for the evening, he noticed the boy standing in the doorway behind him. “If you want, I can just sleep out here on the kline,” he offered, motioning to the couch. Dream had allowed the boy to stay in his bedroom, as it was proper for the host to let the guest sleep in the nicest location.

Sometimes, the gods came to the mortal realm and tested mortals. They would test hospitality. There could be a chance that he would be killed or cursed if he didn’t offer the best treatment possible. The more Dream thought about it, the boy seemed more and more suspicious. People didn’t often move places unless they were escaping wars or captivity. Why would the boy come to Dream's town, a town that had little to offer? Fear ran down his back as a thought crossed his mind: What if the boy was Poseidon in a human form? What if he was coming back to catch him off guard? What if—

“No, I insist you take the bedroom. I was just going to go share Sapnap’s bed.”

The boy’s face stiffened slightly.

Dream didn't know what to make of it. “Don’t worry about it, we share all the time. It won’t be a big deal, if you’re worried about my comfort. We’ll be fine.”

There was a beat of awkward quietness. “Do you two…?”

He wasn’t sure what the boy was referring to at first, but the cocked brow and look of suggestive questioning gave it away. Dream’s face flushed under his mask when he realized the implications of what he had said. “No, no. Gods no, never. He’s a brother to me. We’ve been like brothers since we were young.”

Dream wasn't sure who was more embarrassed, him or the boy. The boy scratched at his neck. “I don’t know why I even thought of it, I’m sorry. I’ll be going to bed now.”

Before the boy could leave, Dream needed to ask one thing. “Wait, I have a question!” The brunette turned around, confused. “I never asked you for your name,” he explained. “I think it’d be proper if I knew it.”

The boy was silent for a moment, and Dream couldn't tell what his expression was in the dark room.

“My name is George.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhh yea that's the super short chapter! we finally got a george name reveal, can i get a pog in the chat? anyways yea, when my tags said slowburn i meant slowburn.
> 
> ALSO AHHH KARL'S FIRST MCC FROM THIS MORNING!!!! i was watching on his pov :))) i've been in this karl hyperfix lately and oml i would give him the world. i was so so so happy his first mcc was a first place run. despite EVERYTHING that went down (sapnap tech difficulties, dream literally going afk for a whole game and being on mute for two rounds, karl's internet completely dying, having to ask scott for breaks and pauses), they still pulled a first place. that's not luck. that's just raw skill and i'm just !!! AGH so so proud. drop a honk if ur part of honktwt and you also simp for karl bc i want to know i'm not alone :,,(
> 
> ik most people won't even read this author's note but i'm so so so glad y'all are reading my stuff, it makes me super blushy and i can't believe anyone would use their free time to read stuff i type. i love u guys <3 see u in the next chapter!! treat kudos as if it was twitch prime lmao


	4. Rock the Boat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is dedicated to my friend maya who has been my day one in the mcyt fandom. she was my first friend and she really helped me find a place in the community and she's the one that really motivated me to write. i've spent so many nights ranting to her about dnf, sending drafts and snippets. and no matter how shitty, she would hype me up. so this is for her, bc we spent an hour coming up with ideas (and making LOTS of jokes) for the "boat scene" ;)
> 
> i hope u enjoy!!!

Whenever Dream went to bed, he pushed his cabinets in front of the door. Because he slept without his mask, he took precautions to prevent anyone from walking in, waking him up, and turning into a statue. Sapnap was the one exception, however.

Sapnap always slept like a log. Dream never had to worry about waking up at the same time as his friend, never had to worry about accidentally looking at his eyes. Because morning after morning, Dream was always the first to wake up. It was a good thing, because sometimes he felt lonely and his friend could keep him company.

That morning was no different. Dream rolled out of bed and reached for his mask, pulling it over his head and adjusting the straps so it could fit comfortably. Usually, he didn’t have to wear a mask until after he brushed his teeth, but with the new guest in his house, he had to be especially cautious. He tiptoed from the room, careful not to wake his friend, and shut the bathroom door behind him.

George was the second person to rise, unsurprisingly. Sapnap's snores could be heard drifting to the kitchen through the cracked bedroom door. Dream was washing grapes at the basin when the shorter boy trudged into the kitchen, rubbing at his eyes. He seemed mellow in the morning, which allowed Dream to breathe with relief. If he had to face another second of George's attitude, especially when it was bright and early, he would've spontaneously combusted.

“Morning!” Dream shook the water from his hands and offered the boy a bundle of grapes. "Did you sleep well?"

“Morning,” the other responded tiredly, missing the grapes when he grabbed for it. "Your bed was way more comfortable than my bed, so yes, I definitely slept much better than I have as of late." George leaned against the doorframe, eating the grapes. The awkward energy that had surrounded the two the night before seemed to have dissipated.“So when are you going to take me fishing?”

Dream raised his brows, taken back by the sudden question. “Since when was that part of the plan?”

“Since you knocked my fish out of my hands by body slamming me,” George snarked, but it seemed lighthearted. “Plus, your friend Sapnap told me you guys fish, so I thought it would be easiest if you just got me some fish yourself instead of buying it from the market.”

He didn’t like the way George was looking at him so expectantly. “First of all, I did not body slam you. Second of all, if I’m going to go fishing, why would you need to be there?”

George frowned as if something was especially obvious. “Who knows what you’ll do to my fish? You could get me small fish on purpose, you could spit on them, you could fill it with dirt…”

Dream stared at him blankly, though there was no way the other would see his expression. “I— Wh— Oh come on. Why on earth would I do that?” The brown-haired boy huffed impatiently, arms crossed.

“I don’t know,” he responded exasperatedly. “Give me one reason to trust you, mister ‘I-wear-a-mask-to-protect-others.’”

He considered making a witty response but knew it would just go on forever. Dream nodded, drying the grapes. “Fine. If you want to come fishing then we have to go early before Sapnap wakes up and scares them all away.”

Dream looked at the boy finishing the grapes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. How bad could it be? It was just fishing. It was just. Fishing. He left a note explaining the situation to Sapnap, along with a bowl of grapes and a promise to return with fish for breakfast. He glanced at George and sighed. It could've been much worse. George was annoying, but he wasn't too terrible. He would be bearable. And besides, going fishing with an annoying stranger wasn’t the worst thing he had ever done.

—

Going fishing with George was the worst thing he had ever done.

George… George did not know how to sit still in a boat. With Sapnap, he never had to fear for his life. They had both shared boats since they were seven years old. They knew how the other acted, and shifted their weights or move to certain parts of the boat just from muscle memory. The only time the boat was ever rocked was when it was intentional. Fishing with Sapnap was a part of life, something natural.

With George, the boat rocked so often that his knuckles were always white, gripping at the sides like he was holding onto his life. And he probably honestly was, with the way the boat was teetering back and forth, sending him lurching side to side. His fishing rod looked like a leaf in the wind. No wish with half a brain would go for the bait.

“Are you trying to kill me?” Dream yelped, watching as the water splashed up the sides of the boat. “We are going to sink and drown!”

The smaller boy huffed indignantly, peering over the side of the boat. “I just want to see the fish! Are you just wasting my time? I haven't seen a single fish this whole time.”

“You’re not going to see any if you keep rocking the boat and making waves. You’re scaring them all away.” Dream cast his line out a bit further, trying to land his bait somewhere where George’s ripples didn’t reach. That task in itself proved to be quite difficult. Many minutes passed and still, no fish would bite. The boat continued rocking.

The more George moved, the more Dream was beginning to think it was intentional.

“You’re doing that on purpose.”

George’s lips turned upwards into a coy smile. “Now why would I do that?”

“Because you want to spend more time with me.” He didn’t know. He was stumped. Dream just said the first thing that came to mind. George paled, freezing. He let out a laugh.

“What? That’s ridiculous.”

Dream shrugged. “I don’t know, it seems that way to me. I could be wrong, but I don’t think so.” Dream was practically baiting him at that point. Something about getting the boy flustered brought him amusement.

“It was not intentional, you’re being ridiculous. Why would I willingly spend time with you? Really. It’s just the most absurd thing... But fine. I’ll just sit over here and you can fish.”

The peace was momentarily restored. Dream turned and cast his line again, feeling more confident now that he finally could fish without interruptions. Maybe he'll finally get it over with and send the boy on his way. And then he'd never have to see him again. But not even a full three minutes later, he felt a spray of water on his arm. He whipped around to face George, who appeared to be sitting normally. Dream turned away for a brief second before turning back quickly, fast enough to catch George’s hand submerged in the lake.

“Why are you splashing me?”

“Why not?”

Gods, the boy was annoying. He prayed that he was just some minor god in disguise, because maybe, just maybe he could take the boy in a fight. Because Dream really wanted to knock the boy into the lake.

More water soaked the cloth of his chiton, and Dream felt as if he had been driven to his wit’s end. “If you splash me one more time—”

It happened too fast for him to process it. George had leaned back to scoop water at Dream, teeth bared in a challenging grin. But the boat tilted a little too far and George lost his balance. Dream surged forward without a thought in his mind, grabbing the collar of George’s robes. And they were face to face. Mask to face, really, but Dream could see the dark pupils of George’s brown eyes. George’s breathing was a little slow and shaky, as he was suspended over the water by Dream’s grasp alone.

George’s eyes were staring directly into the slits of his mask, and though he knew the mask contained the magic, it still scared him.

He never noticed how brown George's eyes were. The lake came to a still as time froze around them. No one said a word.

Dream came to the realization that the boat was still teetering dangerously, tilted by George leaning so far out of it. He had two choices: Pull the boy back into the boat, or let go. The answer seemed to be quite obvious.

“George,” Dream said slowly, smiling. “Your actions have led to their consequences.” George's dazed expression shifted to one of confusion. But before the boy had a chance to respond, Dream released his grip, sending the boy toppling backward into the lake with a yelp. He laughed when the boy resurfaced, sputtering and gasping.

“You are impossible,” George hissed, resembling a wet cat. He practically clawed his way back onto the boat, grabbing at Dream to hoist himself up. “If I had known you would’ve gotten me all wet, I would’ve brought a spare change of clothes.” There was a brief silence before George squeezed his eyes shut. “Don’t say it.”

Dream let out a thunderous laugh, gripping his knees. The other boy shrunk inwards from embarrassment, face pinkened substantially. "Shut up, shut up," he exclaimed. “If I had known I would’ve gotten you all wet, I would’ve asked you for dinner first," Dream offered. "Wait…”

George’s show of annoyance crumbled, replaced with a laugh. “Dear gods,” he said, placing his head in his hands. Dream laughed even harder, and soon the other boy joined in. It was nice, to laugh with someone other than Sapnap. As much as he loved Sapnap, it had been a year since he last properly conversed with someone, let alone laugh with them.

He didn’t even know there had been a weight on his chest until it was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dnf content??? dnf content??????? WOOO POG!!! 
> 
> i also wanted to know, would u guys prefer less frequent updates with longer chapters or more frequent updates with shorter chapters?? pls comment and let me know ur opinions, i want u guys to enjoy this fic as much as possible!!! ty for reading :D


	5. Sink or Swim

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the plot thickens ft. special pov!!! i hope you guys enjoy this chapter,, i procrastinated a lot but i think i like it! i tried to make it longer but idk if it's long enough to be satisfactory so you'll have to tell me. tell me ur opinions on the pov switch!!!
> 
> also,, if you have twitter, pls follow me and look at my pinned...u may find some dnf drawings ;) my account is KARLLUVB0T with a zero for an o!! i post a lot of mcyt art :0

Dream didn’t encounter George for a long while after that. A week had passed and, sometimes, Dream visited the market in hopes of seeing the boy again. He wasn’t sure why, but he wanted to befriend the boy. George was unexplainably magnetic. Perhaps it was the social starvation and the longing to just make a friend again. Perhaps Dream truly was just so lonely despite having all he needed. It wasn’t that Sapnap wasn’t enough, that thought never even passed his mind. They couldn’t be compared. George was different from Sapnap, but Dream couldn’t say why.

He had spent time with George for less than twelve hours but already, part of him knew they needed to be friends.

Sapnap teased him more often than not. “Going to the market again, are we?” he would chide playfully whenever Dream approached the door, adjusting his satchel across his shoulder and lacing his shoes. “Tell George I said hi.”

Although he would never admit it to Sapnap, he did hope to see George once more, with hopes to kindle a friendship. It was just so strange to meet someone that wasn’t desperately in love with him, begging to be his bride or groom or beloved. On rare occasions did he thank Athena. George was one reason he was thankful.

“Dream, why don’t you just go look for him?”

They were carrying baskets of fish to the market, hoping to make some money before the day was over. Sapnap lit a bundle of herbs, fanning the smoke to ward the flies away. Dream shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Aha! So you admit it! You do want to find him.”

Dream let out a groan, slipping his hands under his mask to rub at his eyes. “That isn’t what I intended to say, you’re twisting my words.” His eyes darted over to Sapnap, who sported a smug grin. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“I don’t get it though.” Sapnap exchanged two fish for a handful of coins before sitting back down. “I truly don’t get it. Why are you so interested in finding him? I thought he was annoying.”

Again, Dream shrugged noncommittally. “And you’d be right. He is annoying. But part of me feels like he was put on my path for a reason. I think Athena sent him or possibly influenced life to take him here. He lived somewhere else but came here. Why would he come here specifically?”

Sapnap stared at him. “He said he came here a week ago. If the Fates did have you two in mind, don’t you think you would’ve met sooner? Have you thought about your other theories? He could be a god who came to test your hospitality. He could be Poseidon trying to worm his way back into your life for revenge. He could just be some peasant boy like we are, trying to make a better life. What is it about him that makes him so special? You’ve had hundreds claim to be bonded to your soul. You’ve had even more people tell you that you were placed into their life by divinity. Out of the many people you’ve turned down, what is it about him that draws your interest?”

Truly, even had an arrow been notched and aimed at his head, Dream knew he could not provide a good response. “Those were different. They were courting me as suitors. This is different.” He exhaled harshly. “I don’t know.”

—

The days went on and Dream lost count of when he last saw George. The prospect that George had been one of the gods sank in so deep that he treated it as reality. If it hadn’t been for Sapnap, Dream most likely would have believed that George was nothing but a figment of his own lonely imagination.

Even with Sapnap to prove George’s existence, he wasn’t truly entirely convinced.

Every few days when Dream and Sapnap took their baskets to the market, Dream would wait fruitlessly, hoping to see George at least once more time if any at all. He needed to look upon the face that occupied his head on countless sleepless nights. He wasn’t even sure if his dreams were accurate to reality anymore.

It was only so often that he dreamt of tipping boats and ripples on a lake.

Though he never told Sapnap a word of his dreams, he was almost certain that he didn’t need to. If his unconscious behaviors of sleep talking were still frequent as they had always been, it was near undeniable that Sapnap did not know the subject of his dreams.

If that weren’t enough, Sapnap had remarked, “You talk in your sleep,” out of the blue one morning. It was embarrassing.

With baskets over their shoulders, the two boys headed to the market to sell for another day. It was strangely crowded that day, which only meant good things for their coin bags.

“You think you’ll see him today?”

Sapnap had asked him that every single time they went to sell. Every time so far it had been a no. “Getting my hopes high hurts more than being disappointed but doubtful in the first place,” Dream answered.

“Dream, you need to go find him. It’s obvious to anyone with working eyes that you want to see him again for whatever reason. He told you roughly where he lived. This town is small, I doubt that it’ll be too much of a challenge to find anybody.”  
“I don’t know,” Dream sighed.

“You don’t know what?”

Both boys looked up towards the voice to see the boy in question leaning in, a curious smile on his face. “Hello boys, sorry to interrupt your discussion; it looked very serious. But I was just going to buy some fish from the other vendor but I saw you two and I decided to come over. I wasn’t interrupting something too important, was I?”

Something about seeing George made Dream’s blood run cold. He couldn’t speak for what felt like hours. So he continued staring as if George would disappear if he blinked. How was he there? Where had he been? Why did Dream care so much?

Exchanging a glance, they both shook their heads. Sapnap smiled cheerfully, lifting the basket full of fish. “Don’t worry about it. Anyways, you’re here for fish?”

Somewhere down the line, George sat down between them and continued talking to Sapnap. They seemed to get along well, which was good as Dream was often bogging down his friend. It was nice to see Sapnap talking to people besides him. It had been so long since both of them had proper friendships that were outside of their own. But at the same time, it made something coil in his throat.

“What about you, Dream?” he heard. “Where are your parents?”

Dream hadn’t thought of his parents in a long time. They died when he was a teenager, right around when he and Sapnap were leaving home to find their own lives. He was never close to them but it hurt for a long time. Every so often after their passing, he would get pangs of loneliness, even though he knew he would be without them since childhood. Sapnap’s parents, on the other hand, were still alive, and they treated him like their own.

“Oh, they’ve been gone for a while. It’s just been Sapnap and I for forever.”

His friend nodded, agreeing. “It’s always really been that way. Since we were still swathed in cloth and tiny, our parents were friends so our meeting was inevitable. I think your parents would be happy we’re still friends,” he added, glancing towards Dream.

Dream cleared his throat. “Why did you have to get away from your parents?”

The question was pointed at George, as Dream remembered what the other boy had given as his reason to move somewhere new. I needed to get away from my family for a bit. It most likely regarded something serious, as people don’t tend to move to a different town over an argument. He wondered what happened that was enough to send George away.

The boy squirmed in his seat a little bit, exhaling. “We had some disagreements. They discovered something they didn’t approve of and I left. They probably would’ve cast me out anyways.”

“What did you do?”

George matched his gaze with steely eyes. “Tell me first about your mask.”

Dream settled and shrugged. “I would tell you but I doubt you would believe a tale as such.” Only Sapnap had known the full story regarding the mask, so it felt almost wrong to discuss it with someone else.

“Alright then. Test me.”

Before he could open his mouth, Sapnap grabbed his arm. ‘Wouldn’t it be best if we were away from prying eyes and ears?” Dream shut his mouth and nodded nervously. Small towns were prone to gossip and their town was oh-so-small. A positive was that they would be away from people in general.

“After we sell the last of the fish, we can go to the lake.”

George’s eyes darted hesitantly between the two boys, clearly calculating his words. “Alright,” he settled. “But if the two of you are making a big fuss out of something small, it’ll be your head on a silver platter.”

—

It would have been a million times easier if Sapnap had gone with him. But Sapnap pulled away, claiming he would go prepare the fish for dinner. It was a lie as bright as day. Sapnap never willingly prepared fish. But of course, George didn’t know that.

They sank down to sit on the banks of the lake, chitons rolled up so they could dip their legs into the cool water. The grass blades darted around Dream’s elbows like garter snakes, swaying in the afternoon breeze. It would have been a perfect day had he been a child again.

George reached into the water and splashed water at Dream. “So, tell me. What is it about your mask that is so important?”

He wondered how far back he should start. Just far enough back where it wasn’t too complicated, he supposed. “It was a gift from Athena.”

George seemed to study Dream, which was useless without seeing his expressions.

“I devoted my life to her in the past. I studied and learned many crafts in her name, and she deemed me worthy of godlike powers. With the downside that I must wear my mask.”

Dream observed George as he continued, but the boy’s face remained impassive and stony, seeming to take in and analyze every word that Dream said. “She granted me power but at a cost. I have the power to end and start wars with just a glance. If anyone ever looks into my eyes, they’ll turn to stone. I didn’t choose the power. To be truthful, I didn’t even like it, no offense to the goddess. I didn’t want to never see my friends again. I didn’t want to never be able to meet new people. So I asked her for something that could allow me to continue doing those things.”

“So that’s why you wear a mask,” George cut in. “I just thought you were ugly.”

Dream thought it was best if he didn’t tell George about his life before the mask. He didn’t need to hear about the suitors and such, it was all too messy. It was simply a thing of the past.

“Have you...have you ever turned anyone?”

“No,” Dream immediately responded. He would never forgive himself if he did such a thing. “I only take my mask off when I sleep. No one has seen my face for a year.”

George smiled. “If you weren’t ugly then, you’re certainly ugly now.” Dream laughed, shoving the boy off the banks and into the lake, sending water into the air.

The ripples of the lake kept going further.

“You wish you could see under my mask, don’t you?” They were wading further into the lake, water reaching halfway up their torsos and drenching their clothes. He found it funny that every time he had spent with George so far, it wound up with them getting wet. “What if I was ugly?”

George grinned, covering his face. “Then you’re lucky you’re a comedian.”

They didn’t notice the figure watching them from afar, a wistful smile occupying his face. Only a blind man wouldn’t have taken notice of the way the two boys acted around the other. And Sapnap was far from blind.

Even before the mask, Dream had been reproachful. He was social enough but always preferred introversion over the other. At first, he suspected that the mask brought Dream security, that it was a wall that Dream always kept around him.

To see Dream so far out of his shell was a rare sight. He wondered what it was about the outwardly plain boy that had Dream so enamored. But he supposes that is what infatuations boiled down to.

Beauty was in the eye of the beholder.

He didn’t mind it, truthfully. Sapnap had often heard Dream whisper George's name in his sleep, tossing and turning, sometimes a tender smile ghosting on his lips. It made him as happy as it scared him. Sapnap vividly remembered the moment Dream had arrived home after being missing. When his friend stumbled into his arms, it was like watching a loved one pass away. Dream didn’t know it, but Sapnap often thought of that day. It haunted his nightmares and he knew he had to protect Dream against the world. So seeing Dream so open with someone who was practically a stranger... it terrified him.

The day the person who was a brother to him was forever and irreversibly changed. Dream had always been the older brother between them, so having to take up a role he was not ready for was difficult. But he did it for Dream because he didn’t want to give Dream another reason to be sad.

Dream was naturally loud, always bursting at the seams with energy. But the first two months after he came home, he was almost always silent save for the short exchange of words they had immediately after Dream arrived.

It was like spectating a ghost.

Now, seeing Dream in water, the thing he feared the most after Poseidon… it said more than words could describe. If George could get Dream into the water as if he never feared it, Sapnap wondered if Dream would even realize if he were drowning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and...there you go. i wanted to say thank you for always leaving the kindest comments. they always make my day so much better. i am fueled to continue writing by those comments!!! i try to respond to all of them bc they all mean so much to me. thank you to everyone who has ever commented, u have a place in my heart <3


	6. Manhunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO I'M BACK OMG
> 
> i'm sorry i definitely did not intend to ghost this long,,, usually i'm more efficient but i have been on an art streak on twitter and i couldn't do anything but art !!!!! i literally could not stop drawing dnf i'm so sorry guys dhfkjhsdkjfs the way i had this chapter half done just sitting in my google docs for like a month
> 
> twitter has been absolutely crazy. all of the drama that has happened,,, i literally could not sit down to focus on writing. but yesterday, while i was waiting for my violin lesson (my sister goes first and i have a whole free hour of just sitting on my teacher's couch), i was like. fuck it. and i got my ipad out and literally wrote the rest of the chapter on notes.
> 
> anyways uhh yea pls follow my twitter, i always tweet about dnf headcanons and imagines bc i am sad

“George, you can’t tell the difference between these?”

After Dream found George again, the older boy was becoming a constant figure in their lives. Life in a small town wasn’t very interesting, but with George, life was no longer the same old routine. At the moment, George and Sapnap were skinning grapes while Dream made a vegetable stew of sorts.

“What can’t he tell the difference between?”

Sapnap held up two grapes, shiny and red. One was clearly lighter than the other. He turned to George, who was eating more grapes than “What do you mean you can’t tell the difference between them?”

George shrugged. “I don’t know. They both look very dull. I’ve always had a problem telling the difference between colors. A lot of them look the same.” He pointed to the grass outside and then to the yellows of the terracotta wall. “That looks pretty similar to me.”

“That’s so weird.” He wondered what it would be like living in a world without color.

The boy flushed red. “It’s not that weird for me. I’ve always seen things like this.” He chucked some grapes into the bin. George tilted his head, changing the subject. “What are we doing today?”

Outside, the sun was low in the sky, casting a yellow-orange hue on the rolling hills around the house. There wasn’t much that could be done. The day was basically already over. “We can go find mushrooms if you’d like. I don’t know what else we could do.” 

“Can we go into the woods?”

The east side of their village was flanked by a thicket of woods, stretching on along the banks of a river. Dream had never gone too far out of their village, so he never had to enter the woods. The woods were unknown to him, and the unknown was dangerous.

“Have you ever been into the woods? They’re not the safest.” Sapnap took the container of grape skins and set it over a fire. “We should just stay here and finish making the dye.”

All day long, Sapnap had been adamant that he would dye their clothes with concord grape skins. So they picked the sour grapes from the vines behind the house and helped him peel skins for hours. It was unsurprising that George was bored.

“I grew up playing in the woods, they’re more fun than you could imagine. Come on, I reckon it’s not too bad. Unless you both have a faulty sense of direction. I know that Dream is terrible, he would run into a tree with that mask on.”

“Hey,” Dream protested, but Sapnap laughed with glee. 

“Sounds like you two should go together, I have to stay here and watch the grapes.”

George immediately blurted, “No!” The boys turned and gave him curious looks. “No,” he rephrased slowly. “I just think all of us should go...together. It’ll be more fun that way. I want to show you a game I played when I was younger.”

Sapnap scoffed. “You want us to play some childhood game with you? I could be sitting here instead, where I can just make some dye.”

“Dye takes hours to grow saturated, so if you let it simmer, we can go to the woods right now,” George suggested, and it made sense. “Instead of sitting here for the next five hours waiting for the dye to finish, you can go do something and come back to it.”

“How do you know so much about dye anyway?” Sapnap snarked, but he placed the lid onto the pot, placing it into the wood-burning oven and killing the fire in the pit. 

George hopped down from the counter and ignored the question. “Alright, let’s go!” Dream laughed at the boy’s sudden enthusiasm. Out of the corner of his eye, Sapnap spectated Dream’s expression with a smug look.

—

The woods made Dream feel small and he didn't like feeling small. The sprawling pines reached to the skies, and under the canopy, Dream felt dwarfed beyond belief. He wondered what it would be like to climb a tree so tall. If it wasn’t for his friends, he would’ve been scared out of his mind. In a place that looked the same no matter where one looked, he was scared to think of the possibilities of things hiding and watching among the trees.

“Look how the shadows point that way,” George motioned. “That means we would head in the opposite direction to get out of the forest.”

In the woods was a strange ambiance. The air was cooler among the stalking trees. Small noises were fleeting and ever-changing. Beneath his feet, the ground pulsated with life and he hoped that the earth wouldn’t swallow them up. 

They came upon a clearing and stopped. The trees were denser the deeper they went in, so around the clearing was almost completely dark. The woods were a terrifying place to be. Dream was just glad that the sunlight filtered through the woods horizontally, as he knew it would be much darker had the light been coming from above, as there would be no way to penetrate the clustered canopy. 

“Why are we here?” Dream queued, nervously shifting his weight from one leg to the other. 

“When I was a kid, we played these chasing games,” George began to explain. “There would be one person we’d chase, and the other kids would hunt them down and try to catch them. The person who caught them would be the hunted in the next round.”

Sapnap groaned. “You brought us out here to the middle of the woods to _run?_ ” He stretched his legs disdainfully, sitting down against a tree. “I hate you. I am not in the mood for running.” 

“Oh my gods, Sapnap, just do one round,” George pleaded. 

“I can try,” Dream offered. He didn’t like how that elicited a satisfied glint in Sapnap’s eyes. “But we have to higher the stakes. If I catch you, you have to do my dishes for two weeks.” He extended his hand, waiting for a shake.

“You’re just saying that because you want me to come over more often, don’t you,” George accused with a huff. His eyes were lowered and his arms were crossed. “Alright, fine.” He set down a rock in front of Sapnap’s outstretched leg. “If the sun sets low enough for this rock’s shadow to reach Sapnap and you haven’t caught me yet, then you have to do my laundry.”

Dream grinned, bending to tighten the laces of his sandals. “I’ll give you a headstart.” 

He turned around and shut his eyes, listening to the way the wind whistled as George took off, the sound of his sandals crunching on dirt fading as he re-entered the woods. In his head, Dream counted to ten.

Dream opened his eyes and stepped back into the forest.

The woods drew him in and suddenly he could no longer see the clearing. His feet thudded against the soft mossy growth on the forest floor, each step seeming to suck him deeper into its greenery, closer to the Mother Earth. Every turn looked the exact same. No matter where he looked, the dark woods looked the same at every angle. He thought he heard a fluttering laugh in the breeze sweeping between the trees.

Dream listened to the forest, listened to the thrum of life within the ground and the trees, differentiated it from the birds and the chirping crickets. When he understood the language of the woods, he could hear the foreign tongue among it.

He let his feet carry his body towards George, somehow knowing instinctively where the boy would be, as if they were connected by an invisible string. Dream ran like the wind flowed through his veins, carrying him like he was a spiraling leaf in the wind. And when he saw the frame of the smaller boy dodging behind a tree, Dream let out a breathless laugh.

“George, I found you,” he chanted with joyous glee. He could hear George’s nervous laughter in response. And then George was gone again, the soft mossy ground muffling his footsteps the further he drifted away. “Come here, George,” rang his voice, whistling through the branches and the leaves as if he were one with the nature. 

Dream felt truly alive.

He couldn’t stop the grin on his face as he reached out to grab George, narrowly missing by mere inches. “George,” Dream hummed giddily, and the other boy yelped loudly as he ducked from Dream’s grasp. 

Then, drawing back like a viper ready to strike, Dream tackled the other. His arms wrapped around George’s torso and drew him into a tight embrace—

And they tumbled down the hill.

George giggled as they rolled, grabbing onto the front of Dream’s chiton so that they wouldn’t get separated.

Dream didn’t let go.

At the bottom of the hill, they both laughed, breathless and exhausted. 

“Get off me, get off me, you’re so heavy,” George giggled, pushing Dream futilely. Dream lifted his torso and laughed gently, propping himself with his arms so that he was raised slightly above the other boy. 

“Shut up, I’m not even that heavy.” 

When he looked down, his laughter sunk like a stone in his chest. George looked up, and for a moment, their gazes latched. 

It was like a scale, its balance tipped.

He couldn’t describe the way his heartbeat thudded in his ears like a thousand drums. Couldn’t describe the way George was looking up at him with wide eyes, lips parted so slightly. It must have been the way he could see the rise and fall of George’s chest, still fast from running so hard. It must have been the way that, even in the dim light, he could see where George’s face was dusted pink.

Dream wondered what he himself looked like at that moment, almost thankful that George would never know. The moment felt like glass, fragile and delicate. George quickly looked away, coughing.

And it shattered.

“Gods, how are we going to find our way back to Sapnap,” George complained, getting off the ground. Dream stared at George but the boy didn’t look back. 

“Just follow the shadows? Or we can try yelling for him.” He didn’t understand why George wouldn’t look at him directly. George’s head was slightly lowered, hands sweeping over his face and through his hair.

By then, the sunlight was nearly gone from the sky, flecks of orange sunlight glimmering in the distance, shrouded by the greenery. When they found Sapnap, he was still resting against the tree, eyes shut.

Sapnap let out a groggy, “About time you guys were back,” yawning. The rock’s shadow had long stretched past his leg. “What took you so long?”

It hadn’t felt like long at all, but apparently it had gone on for quite a while. When the three emerged from the forest, the sun was an orange ribbon across the horizon, already tucked in and ready for its slumber.

They could hear parents calling their children inside for dinner, could hear the faint chirping of the crickets that filled the air with a buzzing chorus. 

The boys came to a fork in the road. George glanced over.

“I’m going to go home, can you guys walk with me?” 

Sapnap shook his head. “I’m going to go check on my dye and hope that the house hasn’t burnt down. You‘re not staying over tonight?”

George shook his head.

“Oh. Well. See you tomorrow, then.” He turned and headed down the right path.

And then it was just him and George, staring blankly at Sapnap’s back. 

“He’s unbelievable,” George complained. A smile adorned Dream’s lips as Sapnap disappeared down the trail. "And I have to do your chores now."

“Alright, let's get you home,” Dream interrupted, nudging George with his shoulder.

The two walked at a slow pace, matching steps. Dream could hear his own heartbeat in his ears every time their shoulders brushed. His fingers clenched.

Dream wanted to understand. He _needed_ to understand. Understand why George made him so happy yet frustrated all at once. He glanced over, meeting George's eyes shortly. Just long enough to see how they reflected the moon. Being close to George felt like swimming through molasses. And as soon as he processed what was happening, they arrived at George's house.

On George’s doorstep was a scroll of papyrus, held shut by a piece of sinew. George picked it up, pulling the string loose and unrolling the brown paper. His eyes darted across the looping scrawls, eyebrows knitted together in confusion. 

"What is it?" Dream asked. He couldn't read the expression on George's face.

“It’s a letter,” he said after a long silence. “An apology. From my mother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SUSPENSE SUSPENSE
> 
> not me leaving you guys on a cliffhanger. but hey, it's thanksgiving break now, so i should hopefully be back on my grind. i play minecraft a lot though so,,,, it's just all up to priorities lmao. i have to juggle all of my interests. the worst part about being jack of all trades (master of none) is that my split attention can never focus on one specific task at hand
> 
> anyways,,, i hope you guys enjoyed it! please leave a comment,, especially to those that have been so loyal and loving to this story. you guys mean a lot to me, i hope you know that.
> 
> while i'm here, i'm gonna plug my other fics!!! if you go on my account, i have two more one shots that i posted while i was away. i posted a really angsty one (pls don't read it unless you like. hate yourself) and a super soft fluff one that i actually adore,,, it's just boys cuddling and first kisses.
> 
> OKAY OKAY umm thank you again, i literally love all of my readers so much, you guys mean everything to me. the thought of anyone reading the shit i type still blows my mind, like who actually puts time out of their day to read my stuff willingly??? you guys are so mf pog, remember that someone loves you a lot (ME !!!!)


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